Is Dita Von Teese's 3D printed dress the sauciest use of the tech yet?

Dita Von Teese wore a fully articulated 3D printed designer dress for the first time this week, and it's a real eye-opener for the technology.

Where most 3D printing applications seem to involve a bust of some kind, Dita Von Teese's dress however... Er, actually...

Designed and made as a collaborative effort between fashion designer Michael Schmidt, tech design studio Francis Bitonti and the Shapeways factory, where it was printed, the dress features 3,000 unique articulated joints and is adorned with more than 12,000 Swarovski crystals.

It was made from 17 different printed sections, which were then dyed black and lacquered. It was made to fit the exact body contours of Von Teese - who wore a flesh-coloured basque underneath.

It was debuted at the Ace Hotel in New York as part of NYC Fashion Week, where Von Teese was joined by celebrities including Blondie's Debbie Harry.